


The Protection of My Body.

by RedStarFiction



Category: Outlander & Related Fandoms, Outlander (TV), Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-27
Updated: 2015-11-27
Packaged: 2018-05-03 17:03:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5299292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedStarFiction/pseuds/RedStarFiction
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I received this prompt from Top+Story : Outlander episode 8 what about during the Grants raid Claire gets taken and it's up to Jamie and the highlanders to track them down and get her back</p><p>This is my take on that and a little unusual for me as I normally stick with older Jamie and Claire as I find it easier to get into their character but this was a lot of fun to write and a really great prompt. Thank you for reading :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Protection of My Body.

Claire had hidden when the skirmish began, her instinct told her to flee and she had dropped the knife Jamie had given her almost instantly and not spared it a second thought, or at least she hadn't until rough hands dragged her out of the shelter of her hiding space.  
She had fought then, clawing and kicking against the stinking pile of unwashed clothes that made up her assailant until, with a grunt, he lifted her bodily over his shoulder.  
“JAMIE!”  
She had screamed and had heard his answering cry of “CLAIRE!” but he had not rescued her and she had been hauled away, struggling until her captor had finally dumped her across a horse. Lifting her head up by the hair, he told her that if she kicked him again he would break the foot that struck him.  
“And the same goes for fists and teeth lass. Stay still.”  
Claire did not know if he was bluffing but she wasn't willing to find out. A broken bone in this time could lead to all sorts of complications and seriously impede any escape attempts she wished to make. The thought of staggering up to Craig Na Dun on a broken foot chilled her to the core. She would never make it.

When the horse stopped she was left lying across it as the man behind her dismounted. She let out a shriek as he seized a handful of her hair and roughly tied it to the horses reigns.  
“If ye try to escape, ye'll leave ye scalp behind.”  
He said gruffly and patted her cheek. As the sound of his footsteps retreated Claire reached up and frantically began untying the knot he had made. She hissed through her teeth as hairs pulled free from her head but it was definitely loosening, she could feel the rough edges of the leather through the clumps. How long had it been since she was taken? 20 minutes? An hour? She had no idea.  
The sound of men laughing and talking near by sent goosebumps down her skin, she didn't know any of these voices. Though she was still a relative stranger to the Mackenzie clan she would have recognised their voices if it was indeed them. The logical part of her brain told her that if it was the men she knew she would not be tied to a horse by her hair.  
Where the bloody hell was she? Where was Jamie? The thought of him lying dead or wounded in a pool of blood came unbidden to her and she had to fight to swallow the scream that rose in her throat.  
“Aye, grain and geese are fine and well but look what I brought ...”  
Claire felt hands on her head, then the sound of hair being cut and then she was hauled off of the horse and stood in the embrace of the man who threatened to break her foot. He held her as if posing for a photograph, his hand around her waist, turning her bodily to display her to his crew. She looked back at the horse and was absurdly glad to see only a small hunk of hair left behind.  
“Entertainment for the evening, eh?!”  
He leered bringing Claire back to her present situation. She felt fear, true fear stab at her gut for the first time since marrying Jamie. She was alone with a group of men, none of whom looked shocked or appalled at their comrade's conduct and she was utterly defenceless.  
“My husband will kill you if you touch me!”  
She said mustering all of her remaining courage and glaring around at them, pulling away from the groping hand at her hip.  
“Oh? And who would ye husband be?!”  
One of the men facing her smirked, he stood a little separate from the rest and they all looked to him as he spoke, clearly their leader. Claire could see wariness creep in on his stance. Clearly her answer mattered. She held her chin up as high as she could and met his gaze directly,  
“James Fraser, nephew to the chieftain of clan Mackenzie.”  
“Och weel, we've little quarrel wi' the Fraser's but the Mackenzies …”  
The unease left his body and he grinned at her, a stoat looking at a vole.  
“We'll no' harm ye lass, let us have our fun and we'll send ye back to yon vengeful husband and ye can send him after us.”  
“Let me go now and I swear I will say nothing to him.”  
Claire began to back away and he followed her, his grin widening revealing crooked yellow teeth.  
“That's the point lass. I want ye to tell him, let the Mackenzie's ken about it. It'll hurt their pride but it willna hurt ye, I have been told I am a good lay by many a'woman.”  
“Stay away from me.”  
Claire's voice shook but she didn't dare break eye contact with him, somehow she felt like looking at him directly was keeping him at bay.  
“Come on now darlin' I don't want to hurt ye. I will if ye make me. But I dinna want to.”  
Claire shook her head  
“I will not let you rape me!”  
“Rape by definition is no' exactly a choice lassie. I would much rather ...”  
What he would much rather do, Claire never had to know because at that moment a bullet buzzed past her and entered his neck, spraying her with blood.  
His eyes bulged and his hand flew to the hole in his neck a split second before his legs buckled and all Hell broke loose. Battle cries erupted all around her and she found herself shoved roughly aside and knocked to the ground. She tried to crawl for cover but someone grabbed her, pressing her into the earth. For a moment she was smothered in the grass by his body weight, but as he lifted himself to fire his pistol at some foe she pressed up with all her force, butting him hard in the chest with the back of her head. She was gratified to hear the breath rush from him in a winded gasp and wasted no time pressing her advantage, crawling away from him as fast as she could.  
She had barely gone four feet when his body flopped over her again, his hands covering her head.  
“If you want to rape me you'll have to kill me first!”  
She screamed, kicking her heels up against his shins. The sound of steel on steel and gunfire was still in the air, but the thought of being shot or stabbed was preferable to being violated by some dirty bastard who thought he could smother her into submission.  
He was saying something to her but she was too hysterical with rage to listen, she clawed at his arm and sank her teeth into his wrist.  
“Infrin! Sassenach will ye stop it!”  
Claire stopped fighting and stared incredulously at the hand she had been savaging. She recognised the short, square cut nails and the smattering of red hair across the knuckles.  
“Jamie!”  
“Aye, what's left o' me.”  
She could hear the smile in his voice but he was still pressing her down into the grass, shielding her with his body she now realised.  
“I thought ...”  
“I ken lass, dinna fash. When I say run, I want ye to get up and run straight. Aye?”  
“But ...”  
“RUN!”  
Jamie rolled off of her and dragged her to her feet, shoving her forward. Claire stumbled almost blinded with fear and shock in the direction he had pointed her. The fight was all but over but she didn't dare stop to look. Suddenly Murtagh materialised directly in front of her and caught her elbows.  
“Easy lass. Ye're safe.”  
His usual gruff voice held a trace of what could almost be described as compassion but his eyes were as alert and ready as ever. Claire had barely noticed that Jamie had directed her into the woods but she was aware that she was stood in a very hastily formed camp.  
“Jamie...”  
“He's a matter to see to, sit down here.”  
Murtagh sat her down briskly beside the wagon and pushed his flask into her hand.  
“Drink.”  
Claire did so, readily, the firey whiskey smoothing her nerves as it scorched her throat.  
“Ye drink like a man.”  
Murtagh grunted and took his flask back, shaking it and scowling at her when it rang all but empty. Claire didn't bother to reply. She just wanted Jamie and her eyes were fixed on the direction she had run, waiting for the reassuring sight of his red hair through the dull leaves.  
“Ye're unharmed?”  
“Mostly.”  
Claire answered him as bluntly as he asked and was surprised when the flask appeared in front of her again.  
“Good. Ye did well.”  
“Thank you.”  
She sipped slowly this time and shuddered. The sound of heavy footfall reached her ears and Murtagh drew his sword, letting out a low whistle. The answering call echoed back at them and he sheathed it, tugging Claire upright. Jamie stepped into the clearing and she ran to him, her arms wrapping around his waist, clutching his back with trembling fingers. She felt tears spring hot and stinging into her eyes and tried desperately to blink them away.  
“Mo muirninn. Ciamar a tha thu?”  
His lips brushed the tip of her ear and although she didn't know the words he spoke she felt infinitely better for hearing them.  
“I'm alright, they didn't … Oh God Jamie. That was bloody horrible!”  
The tears overflowed down her cheeks and Jamie brushed them away with his thumb.  
“Do ye wish to see them?”  
“Do I …? Those men? No!”  
Claire pushed back from him, confused and hurt  
“They kidnapped me! Threatened to rape me! I never want to see them again!”  
She spat the words at him and Jamie felt his heart swell with pride at his wife's fierceness.  
“I ken that Claire and I can promise ye that they will ne'er touch ye again, but if ye should wish to see it for yeself...”  
Claire looked up at him in confusion and Jamie cupped her face in his hands, looking deep into her eyes, those sherry eyes he was growing to depend on to feel whole.  
“They canna ever touch ye again Sassenach, I have seen to it.”  
She briefly wondered if he had made some sort of deal but then noticed the blood on his shirt, she could not say for certain but she did not think it had been there when he told her to run.  
Claire swallowed hard and shook her head  
“I don't want to see them.”  
“Then ye dinna have to.”  
Jamie pulled her back against his chest and kissed her head, his arms wrapped protectively around her body, warming her and offering all the comfort he could.  
“You covered me with yourself. You could have been killed.”  
She mumbled into his chest and he nodded, his chin resting on her head.  
“Did I no' promise ye the protection of my body, mo chride?”  
“But...”  
“They were no' just words Claire, I meant it. Ye have my protection, always.”  
His voice was soft and low enough to feel private even in the middle of the encampment.  
“Thank you.”  
She said, tiptoeing to press a kiss to his cheek. She thought of Frank and for the first time found that she could not quite picture his face, overwhelmed by the intoxicating presence of her second husband. She pushed the thought from her mind, she had dealt with enough for one day.


End file.
